“Bobby Kennedy was one of my heroes,” Obama said in the release. “I first got into public service because I wanted to be a part of something bigger than myself, believing that my own salvation was bound up with the salvation of others.”

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“That’s something he expressed far better than I ever could when he talked about the power that comes from acting on our ideals, those ripples of hope that can ‘sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance,’” he added. “That’s what I’m determined to help inspire and cultivate over the rest of my career."

Obama also responded in a tweet, saying that Kennedy “showed us the power of acting on our ideals, the idea that any of us can be one of the ‘million different centers of energy and daring’ that ultimately combine to change the world for the better.”

Bobby Kennedy was one of my heroes. He was someone who showed us the power of acting on our ideals, the idea that any of us can be one of the “million different centers of energy and daring” that ultimately combine to change the world for the better. https://t.co/nAiPiGercs

The organization’s founder and Kennedy’s widow, Ethel Kennedy, will present the awards at the Ripple of Hope Gala in December. This year marks the 50th anniversary of Robert F. Kennedy’s White House run, as well as the founding of the organization.